Japanese Examined Patent Publication SHO No. 59-13249 discloses a mixing apparatus comprising a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; and a plurality of stirring members provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft. With this prior art, the plurality of stirring members are arranged along the radial direction of rotation of the rotating shaft so as to enhance mixability by accelerating the flow of the material being mixed in the axial direction.
However, with this prior art, no pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel. Consequently, the aggregated mixture cannot be pulverized.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,979 discloses a mixing apparatus comprising a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a first stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a second stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft. The second stirring member has smaller radial direction dimensions than the first stirring member, and is arranged forwardly of the direction of rotation of the first stirring member, so that the load at mixing is reduced.
However, with this prior art, no pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel. Consequently, the aggregated mixture cannot be pulverized.
Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication HEI No. 5-36493 discloses a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel to be drivable in a rotating manner. The stirring member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft, and furthermore, has a stirring surface, which causes a material being mixed to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. Further, it comprises an air jet nozzle for preventing a material being mixed from adhering to the inner circumference of the vessel. According to this prior art, the aggregated mixture can be pulverized with the pulverizing member.
However, with this prior art, whereas the pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel, the material being mixed flows toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. That is, because the material being mixed flowed in a direction away from the pulverizing member, mixture pulverizing efficiency was low.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication HEI No. 8-15538 discloses a vessel for a material to be mixed; a rotating shaft provided to be drivable in a rotating manner around an axis inside the vessel; a stirring member provided so as to rotate together with the rotating shaft; and a pulverizing member provided on the inner circumference of the vessel to be drivable in a rotating manner. The stirring member is arranged by leaving a space relative to the outer circumference of the rotating shaft, and has a stirring portion, which causes a material being mixed to flow toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. The pulverizing member is constituted of shearing rings, which rotate concentrically relative to each other. According to this prior art, the aggregated mixture can be pulverized with the pulverizing member.
However, with this prior art, the structure of the pulverizing member is complex. Further, whereas the pulverizing member is provided on the inner circumference of the vessel, the material being mixed flows toward the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. That is, because the material being mixed flowed in a direction away from the pulverizing member, mixture pulverizing efficiency was low.
Further, since the dimensions of the pulverizing member are restricted so as not to interfere with the stirring member, it was difficult to increase opportunities for contact between a material being mixed and the pulverizing member by using a conventional constitution.
The object of the present invention is to provide a mixing apparatus, which is capable of solving for the above problems.